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In New York, the US Immigration Service detained Mohsen Mahdawi, a student and one of the organisers of anti-Israel rallies at Columbia University. The detention took place during an interview for US citizenship. This was reported by Newsru.
Mahdawi has a permanent resident status (Green Card) and was due to graduate from a city college in New York this May. According to his lawyer Luna Drubi, the detention is directly related to the student’s public support for the Palestinian people.
“This is an attempt to intimidate anyone who dares to speak out against the horrors taking place in Gaza. The actions of the Trump administration directly contradict the US Constitution,” the lawyer said.
Mohsen Mahdawi is a co-founder of the Palestinian Student Society at Columbia University. He has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide both during speeches on campus and in the national media. The documents submitted to the court also state that he is a Buddhist by religion and has pacifist beliefs.
The court sided with the student
Federal Judge William Sessions, appointed during the Barack Obama administration, issued a temporary injunction against Mahdawi’s deportation. The court is considering the case on an expedited basis due to the wide public outcry.
The situation around Mahdawi is unfolding against the backdrop of a large-scale wave of deportations, which, according to US media reports, have already affected hundreds of foreign students involved in anti-Israeli protests in the US in recent weeks.
